Last Updated: Fri, 06 Apr 2012 13:09
Alan Hutton is set to boost Aston Villa by returning from a calf injury in time to face Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday.
The Scotland international full-back missed last weekend's 4-2 home defeat against Chelsea due to the problem, but he has made good progress this week in training and should be available to face the Merseysiders.
Young striker Andreas Weimann, who made his first league start against the Blues, is doubtful with an ankle injury suffered during that game.
Villa boss Alex McLeish is still without an array of first-term players as winger Charles N'Zogbia, skipper Stiliyan Petrov, striker Darren Bent, defenders Richard Dunne and Carlos Cuellar plus midfielder Fabian Delph are all unavailable due to respective knee, leukaemia, ankle, shoulder, thigh and ankle problems.
Villa's former Liverpool left-back Stephen Warnock is hoping to heap more problems on his former club Liverpool and secure a first win against them since departing Merseyside in 2007, but he is expecting a tough game.
We need to be positive," he told the club's website.
"It's a massive game, with the defeat to Chelsea and the way results went against us in the other matches.
"This game becomes huge now at the weekend. It's almost like a cup final and one we've got to win.
"It will be a tough challenge because it's been Liverpool's worst run in a long time.
"They are going to want to put that right straight away and put that set of results to the back of their minds.
"They have a big calendar coming up too. They have the semi-final of the FA Cup against Everton so they will want to go into that in good form, starting this weekend.
"It's a huge game and we have to be mindful that we can get a result."
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